He was forced out of Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League game against Honduras’ CD Marathon after he took a hit on his right leg. It was the same leg he broke in a vicious hit in April 2011 that cost him to miss 16 months of action.

"People were like, 'Not again ... ,' " Zakuani told reporters on Friday. "I really didn't mean to (worry them), so I sent out a tweet just saying, 'I'm not injured. Don't be concerned.' I know I'm fine. I'm totally fine. It would take a lot for me to reinjure it. There's no concern." Zakuani, a 24-year-old native of the Congo, has started five matches since returning to action full-time on Aug. 25. He has one goal and one assist in seven MLS games this season.

"He's accomplished so much this year — everything that he's had to come through, that he's had to work through at the beginning of the season," Seattle coach Sigi Schmid told reporters. "He had to take care of a lot in the offseason, so I don't disagree with what he said and I said at the very beginning — that his best soccer is going to be in 2013. But he has really surprised me in what he's been able to do. ... He's doing well enough where he's going to be a part of our playoff activity, for sure. Then, when he has this offseason now to work on getting ready for the season in 2013, I think Steve can get back to where he was."

Seattle (15-7-11) closes out its regular season Sunday at the L.A. Galaxy (15-12-6). The Sounders will enter the MLS playoffs either as the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.